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Thanks for your advice! Modular programming is certainly possible in other languages, the same way object oriented programming is possible in procedural languag

Thanks for your advice! Modular programming is certainly possible in other languages, the same way object oriented programming is possible in procedural languages. I believe that starting from scratch will allow me to create a much easier to use language compared if other languages were given the capabilities I am adding. One example of this I have seen is a language called AutoIt, which is a very small language and I am amazed at how easy it is to program. One of my goals with Kitten is to make it capable as a teaching language, but also as a large project language, similar to Python. I simply love the unrestricted feel of every capability being useful. As a contrast, I spent a lot of time with C++ in the last year, and I am constantly amazed at how much more difficult programming in it is because of older concepts. In particular, strings have caused a lot of problems, due to the many many varieties of strings between C, C++, and Microsoft data types, as well as Ansi vs Unicode and const vs non-const. There's just so much more to learn, and a lot of it is older concepts that aren't very useful. Over the last year I have built a set of ideas that I have now gotten to play well together. These ideas include very specific syntax unlike any programming languages I have seen out there so far. I admit I have not tried many of the newer languages, but I hit a certain point where I didn't care what else was out there, I just had to build my ideas. Of course, if I do go into the Kickstarter route, I'd investigate those languages more first, right now I just decided to put something out there to see what people's first impressions were. Thanks for your input!

smt88 12y ago
Using C++ and then deciding there needs to be a new language is a very common reaction. In fact, D and Go are exactly that: a replacement for C++. There are literally dozens of other languages that have an identical genesis. I think you found AutoIt to be simple and easy because it's not a general-purpose language. It has a very specific use-case and domain. I really wonder if you know how unbelievably complex and difficult it is to create a new language. Even very minor considerations become incredibly important for certain applications. If you really want to get this language off the ground, I'd suggest targeting JVM[1], CLR[2], or transpiling to JavaScript (basically the same targets as Clojure). Before you go any further, you should also actually spend some time with the new kids on the block. D is a direct successor to C++. Go is a C++ replacement. Rust is a general-purpose language aimed at web applications, and it was partly the inspiration for Swift. All of these are many years old, have the backing of a large corporation, are written by teams of brilliant people, or some combination of those things. It's really a massive undertaking, and most new languages fail or never get to a usable state. Don't you think it's possible that one of the tens of millions[3] of programmers in the world has developed something[4] you'd like as much as your theoretical language? 1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Java_virtual_machine http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Java_virtual_machine 2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Language_Runtime http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Language_Runtime 3. http://www.infoq.com/news/2014/01/IDC-software-developers http://www.infoq.com/news/2014/01/IDC-software-developers 4. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_programming_languages http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_programming_languages
- FreeFull 12y ago
  Go is actually more aimed at web applications than Rust. Rust is aimed at the things you'd traditionally use C/C++ for (writing operating systems, browser engines, code for your ARM board). Some people are working on libraries that will make creating web applications reasonably nice too, though.
- steveklabnik 12y ago
  Rust is very much not aimed at web applications. You could say that it's aimed at _implementing web browsers_, and has become a general purpose language anyway.
- KittenLanguage 12y ago
  Thanks, maybe it's time to start playing with those languages. And yes, I have been learning first hand how difficult it is to make a general purpose language, I'm at the part where I believe I have enough of a blueprint that it will work, and that I will be able to succeed given a couple years, but I am also staring that complexity in the face each night and seeing how huge this task is :) Thanks for your advice!

smt88 12y ago

Using C++ and then deciding there needs to be a new language is a very common reaction. In fact, D and Go are exactly that: a replacement for C++. There are literally dozens of other languages that have an identical genesis. I think you found AutoIt to be simple and easy because it's not a general-purpose language. It has a very specific use-case and domain. I really wonder if you know how unbelievably complex and difficult it is to create a new language. Even very minor considerations become incredibly important for certain applications. If you really want to get this language off the ground, I'd suggest targeting JVM[1], CLR[2], or transpiling to JavaScript (basically the same targets as Clojure). Before you go any further, you should also actually spend some time with the new kids on the block. D is a direct successor to C++. Go is a C++ replacement. Rust is a general-purpose language aimed at web applications, and it was partly the inspiration for Swift. All of these are many years old, have the backing of a large corporation, are written by teams of brilliant people, or some combination of those things. It's really a massive undertaking, and most new languages fail or never get to a usable state. Don't you think it's possible that one of the tens of millions[3] of programmers in the world has developed something[4] you'd like as much as your theoretical language? 1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Java_virtual_machine http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Java_virtual_machine 2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Language_Runtime http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Language_Runtime 3. http://www.infoq.com/news/2014/01/IDC-software-developers http://www.infoq.com/news/2014/01/IDC-software-developers 4. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_programming_languages http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_programming_languages

FreeFull 12y ago
Go is actually more aimed at web applications than Rust. Rust is aimed at the things you'd traditionally use C/C++ for (writing operating systems, browser engines, code for your ARM board). Some people are working on libraries that will make creating web applications reasonably nice too, though.
steveklabnik 12y ago
Rust is very much not aimed at web applications. You could say that it's aimed at _implementing web browsers_, and has become a general purpose language anyway.
KittenLanguage 12y ago
Thanks, maybe it's time to start playing with those languages. And yes, I have been learning first hand how difficult it is to make a general purpose language, I'm at the part where I believe I have enough of a blueprint that it will work, and that I will be able to succeed given a couple years, but I am also staring that complexity in the face each night and seeing how huge this task is :) Thanks for your advice!